Persistent heartburn can be a miserable and dangerous condition.
Most of us have felt the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion at one time or another -- the burning sensation and nagging discomfort at the top of the stomach or in the middle of the chest.
In the most severe cases, the patient may actually think he is experiencing a heart attack because of all the discomfort occurring in the chest (hence the term "heartburn").
Is heartburn really a big deal? Well, an occasional bout of indigestion really isn't a big deal and usually occurs because of overindulgence or because we ate something that was too spicy or otherwise difficult to digest.
If the symptoms persist, however, the condition becomes much more serious because of the long-term complications that can result.
What exactly is heartburn? Heartburn is a form of acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) that occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus and create a burning sensation in a person's chest.
What are possible symptoms? Besides the obvious burning sensation or regurgitation, heartburn and GERD can lead to a sore throat with hoarseness (because of the acid in the throat), coughing and wheezing, and a variety of other digestive complaints like gas and bloating.
What causes heartburn? One of the main causes of heartburn is, of course, a person's diet.
As we stated above, occasional heartburn can occur when you have way too much pizza or fried chicken one evening.
It can happen when you try something new that your body simply doesn't like (like a spicy Indian dish with lots of curry).
In the same way, chronic heartburn can be the result of a poor diet full of fried foods, spicy foods, or fattening foods and low on fruits and vegetables.
Many people can greatly improve their symptoms and perhaps even eliminate the problem if they fix their diets.
In some cases, a physical abnormality in the stomach or esophagus may be responsible, and this may require surgical intervention.
Medical doctors generally believe that heartburn is caused by excessive acid in the stomach, and for this reason they recommend various anti-acid drugs and proton pump inhibitors that reduce stomach acid in their patients.
Many nutritionists and doctors interested in natural health disagree, however, as they believe that many people actually have a lack of acid in the stomach (or perhaps a lack of digestive enzymes) which causes food to ferment undigested in the stomach and then pushes the acid back into the esophagus where it does not belong.
They often recommended natural treatments and heartburn remedies.
Some experts even believe that additional factors such as chronic yeast infections are also involved in some cases.
How is it diagnosed? Normally, a medical doctor should take your history and perform a physical examination, but they usually can make a simple diagnosis based on your symptoms.
An endoscopy or barium swallow is often performed to rule out any serious stomach disorders like ulcers or cancer.
What are possible complications? The stomach was designed to withstand the strong HCl, but even the stomach can develop ulcers or gastritis.
Just imagine what can happen to the esophagus, which was not designed with the same kind of strong lining that the stomach has.
If heartburn persists for months or even years, the results can be quite serious.
The chronic inflammation in the esophagus could result in esophagitis or even a condition known as Barrett's esophagus which changes the appearance and structure of the cells in the esophagus and makes the patient more susceptible to esophageal cancer.
We don't mean to scare anyone with these scenarios, and certainly not every patient will develop these conditions.
Nevertheless, if you're suffering from heartburn and haven't gotten the treatment you need, what exactly are you waiting for? Make sure to discuss these symptoms with your physician as soon as possible so you won't have to worry about any of these complications we discussed in this article.
How do you treat heartburn? Depending on the specific symptoms and severity of your condition, your physician may recommend prescription drugs or even surgery to correct the condition.
You should always work closely with your doctor, but keep in mind that there are a number of heartburn remedies you should consider.
For many people, a nutritional supplement or herb might be just the trick along with changes in their diet.